Category: T-Bones

The Kansas City T-Bones have announced that the MIAA Baseball Championship returns to CommunityAmerica Ballpark beginning Thursday, May 7.

The double-elimination championship tournament will feature the top four teams that advanced from last weekend’s opening-round series, which were played on the college campuses.

The top four seeds will be Missouri Southern, Emporia State, Central Missouri and Washburn.

The same coaches will return for the Kansas City T-Bones this year, according to an announcement.

The manager will be John Massarelli. Coaches will include Dave Schaub at third base, Frank White at first base and Bill Sobbe, pitching coach.

Schaub comes back for his second season at the third-base coach. He worked with Massarelli at Lake Erie from 2009 to 2012.

Sobbe returns for a second season as pitching coach. He joined the T-Bones as bench coach before the 2012 season. From 1984 to 2003, Sobbe was the Kansas City Royals’ bullpen catcher.

White, a Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame player, is back for his fourth season as the T-Bones’ first base coach. White played with the Royals for 18 years, from 1973 through 1990, and was known as one of the top second basemen in baseball.

The 2015 regular season begins at home on Friday, May 22, against Lincoln. For ticket information, call the box office at 913-328-5618.

The Kansas City T-Bones have signed rookie James Boddicker to a contract for the 2015 season.

Boddicker, 23 (4-8-92), is a 5-foot-11 and 190-pound infielder from Overland Park, Kan.

Playing collegiately at Tennessee Wesleyan last season, Boddicker batted .350 with a .493 slugging percentage in 58 games. He led the Bulldogs in hits (71), doubles (18) and total bases (100).

“I know our manager John Massarelli, coach Bill Sobbe and the rest of the staff wants to take a look at James because he’s a young guy who can hit, play several positions and plays the game the right way,” said T-Bones vice president and general manager Chris Browne. “Plus he’s a Kansas City kid who has a great background in and around the game.”

Boddicker, who went to St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Kan., is the son of long-time major-league pitcher Mike Boddicker, who played for the Royals during 1991 and 1992.

The T-Bones open the 2015 regular season at home on May 22 against Lincoln. Tickets for all games are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.
– Story from T-Bones